Wolverhampton Wanderers’ impressive season continued as they moved into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup with Ivan Cavaleiro’s first-half goal sealing a 1-0 victory at Championship (second-tier) club Bristol City yesterday.
Portuguese Cavaleiro slotted home clinically in the 28th minute after great work by Matt Doherty and it was enough for Wolves to reach the last eight for the first time since 2003.
After a mass exodus of Premier League clubs in the previous two rounds, Wolves continued a good weekend for the big boys which saw Manchester City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Watford and Crystal Palace all send lower-league opposition packing.
Palace were far too good on Sunday for third-tier Doncaster Rovers, with first-half goals by Jeffrey Schlupp and Max Meyer securing a 2-0 win to send Roy Hodgson’s side into the last eight for only the second time in 24 years.
Schlupp ran through to fire home in the eighth minute and Meyer’s effort on the stroke of halftime deflated the hosts who had hoped for a first-ever run to the last eight.
In the day’s other fifth-round tie, Swansea City recovered from a halftime deficit at home to fellow Championship outfit Brentford to win 4-1 at the Liberty Stadium. Bersant Celina’s free kick rebounded off the post and in off keeper Luke Daniel to level it up before a wonderful solo goal by Daniel James put the Welsh club ahead.
With Brentford down to 10 men after a red card for Ezri Konsa, Celina made it 3-1 and George Byers added a late fourth goal to seal a second successive quarter-final appearance for the Swans. Comfortably placed in the Premier League and with Liverpool’s scalp in the FA Cup already, Wolves have emerged as dark horses to go all the way this season.
In the first half at Bristol City they certainly had the look of a side who fancy their chances.
Doherty was a constant menace for the Bristol defence and he was unlucky not to score when his shot hit the woodwork after a flowing move down the right.
It was his trickery that opened up the home defence again before his cut back picked out Cavaleiro to fire home.
The second half was a different story as City, sixth in the second tier, improved dramatically and forced Wolves keeper John Ruddy into several sharp saves. Substitute Matty Taylor was twice denied and in stoppage time, with City throwing the kitchen sink at Wolves, Ruddy reacted well to stop opposite number Frank Fielding equalising after he had gone up for a corner.
“I’m very happy, it was very tough, but I’m happy for fans and it was a moment of joy,” said Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo, who has guided his team to seventh on their top-flight return. “In the first half they gave us space but then they changed it and they are a tough team.”
Only seven of the 16 teams to reach the fifth round were from the Premier League but with Chelsea hosting Manchester United on Monday in a repeat of last season’s final, six of the teams in the last eight will be from the top flight.
Meanwhile Maurizio Sarri will be fighting to save his job when crisis club Chelsea FAce Manchester United in the FA Cup fifth round today.
Sarri is in danger of being sacked after a dismal first season at Stamford Bridge and crashing out of the FA Cup would push the Italian closer to the axe.
Chelsea suffered their heaviest defeat for 28 years when they were thrashed 6-0 at Manchester City last weekend, an indignity that came just weeks after a humiliating 4-0 loss at Bournemouth. Amid claims Sarri has lost the support of his players, the former Napoli boss held clear-the-air talks this week in a bid to convince the squad to stick with him.
It is not the first time he has challenged Chelsea’s stars after accusing them of being hard to motivate, questioning their mental strength and claiming they don’t understand even the basics of his game plan.
Sarri’s players are said to be unhappy with the Italian’s uninspiring training methods and refusal to adapt his tactics to the players he has at his disposal.
Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Alonso and N’Golo Kante are all being asked to perform roles that are ill-suited to their strengths and so FAr Sarri’s lengthy debriefs have had made little difference. While ‘Sarri-ball’ was a big hit with Napoli, Chelsea have looked laboured for much of this season, struggling for cohesion in midfield and lacking cutting edge up front.
Demanding Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and influential director Marina Granovskaia are unlikely to spare Sarri unless results and performances improve soon.
That means Sarri must lift Chelsea - beaten in seven of their last 22 games -back into the Premier League’s top four and keep them on course for silverware.
They are still in the Europa League, having beaten Malmo in the last 32 first leg on Thursday, and FAce Manchester City in the League Cup final next Sunday.
But first Sarri must focus on United’s visit to the Bridge as holders Chelsea look to move closer to a third successive FA Cup final appearance.
“We know it’s a crucial moment. We have some very important matches. The first will be United. It’s very challenging,” Sarri’s assistant Gianfranco Zola said.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Portuguese midfielder Ivan Cavaleiro (No 7) celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal of the English FA Cup fifth round match against Bristol City at Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol yesterday. (AFP)
